A PROCESS FOR THE CATALYTIC HYDROGENATION OF LIQUID FATTY ACID TRIGLYCERIDES FOR THE SIMULTANEOUS RECOVERY OF FATTY ALCOHOLS AND C3 DIOLS

IN A PROCESS FOR THE CATALYTIC HYDROGENATION OF LIQUID FATTY ACID TRIGLYCERIDES FOR THE SIMULTANEOUS RECOVERY OF FATTY ALCOHOLS AND C3 DIOLS IN THE PRESENCE OF GASEOUS HYDROGEN AND HYDROGENATION CATALYSTS UNDER PRESSURES OF FROM 50 TO 300 BAR AND AT TEMPERATURES IN THE RANGE FROM 160 TO 250?C, A YIELD OF FATTY ALCOHOLS OF AT LEAST 99% OF THE THEORETICAL AND OF PROPANE-1, 2-DIOL OF AT LEAST 80% OF THE THEORETICAL AND A MAXIMUM PARAFFIN CONTENT OF 0.5% OF THE THEORETICAL ARE OBTAINED IN THAT THE HYDROGENATION REACTION IS CARRIED OUT IN A TUBE BUNDLE REACTOR OPERATED UNDER ISOTHERMAL CONDITIONS THROUGH A COOLING OR HEATING FLUID, THE LIQUID PHASE BEING PASSED AS CO-CURRENT TRICKLE PHASE WITH THE GASEOUS PHASE OVER CATALYST PACKINGS IN THE INDIVIDUAL REACTOR RUBES WITHOUT BACK-MIXING, AND IN THAT THE LOAD PER UNIT VOLUME OF THE REACTOR IS SELECTED BETWEEN 0.2 AND 2.5 1 STARTING MATERIAL PER 1 REACTOR VOLUME PER HOUR AND THE LOAD PER UNIT AREA OF EACH INDIVIDUAL REACTOR TUBE BETWEEN 1.5 AN 25 M3 STARTING MATERIAL PER M2 REACTOR CROSS-SECTION PER HOUR AND THE REACTION PARAMETERS OF TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE ARE ADAPTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ACTUAL CATALYST ACTIVITY.